Negotiations
by bowtruckle90
Summary: Helen and Fred make offers to one another regarding business and life.  Fred/OC. Please R&R!


"Well, everything's set." Fred and Helen were standing in the courtyard of the school, setting everything up for the fantastic display the boys were planning. Fred Disillusioned the crates of fireworks he and George were going to set off the next afternoon while they made their escape from the school. Fred stepped into Helen where she stood, watching him. "Wish you would come with me, Helen."

She smiled. "Yes well, if the three of us are going to be successful someone needs to have finished school."

Fred nodded and swept Helen up in his arms. After placing her on top of the firework crates, he hopped up to sit next to her. "Well, remember, I'll come back for you anytime, if you need me."

"I'll be fine Fred. She's horrible but she wouldn't dare do anything to me. With what I'm worth my opinion is worth its weight in gold."

Fred blushed. He didn't fancy discussing money with Helen. She was the richest witch in the entire country, and his family had made hand me downs into an art. He was about to change the subject when Helen continued. "Listen, there's an offer I want to make you. Since my birthday there have been a few things that have come into my possession free and clear and are now mine to do with what I will. First is the island and everything on it. Second is my trust fund. Third is my rightful share of the ownership of the bank, which is one half of the bank's management. I want to use these things to help the business."

Fred pulled a face. "How?"

Helen looked toward the open grounds, and satisfied that no one was out of the castle so early in the morning on a Saturday she explained. "I don't want to live in the mansion. It's too big for me. You know that's the reason I bought your family's guest house for summer, I just couldn't take the size anymore. I think we should use it as a headquarters for testing." Fred was so stunned he was at a loss for words, which was well enough because he was about to from stunned to shocked. "Second, I would like to be our financial backer as well as a partial owner and designer. Harry's money is about half gone and we're always going to need someone to make sure we always have enough gold to support the business. Investors are unpredictable and ask for equity in exchange. I'm already a partner so no ownership is lost. As far as my position at the bank goes, I can make sure we can buy up the retail space we rented after as little as three months at the lowest rate possible with the rent paid added in to knock down the price, to own free and clear."

Once Fred recovered, he stammered, "George and I can't pay you for this."

"Sure you can," Helen countered. "All I ask in return is that you consider coming and living on my family's island with me. There is a beautiful cottage on the northern shore, where I will be moving. It's big enough for all three of us if that's what you want." Fred was silent for a moment. "Or I can commission a new home anywhere on Moscata you'd like," Helen revised. "And I'll pay for it. Just come and live with me when school is over. Moscata is a small island, and I love it but it's lonely there. I can't be on that island all by myself."

Judging from the look she was receiving, Helen would have to say she was about to get shot down. Instead Fred grabbed her robes and pulled her in for a kiss. When he finally drew his lips from hers Fred said lowly, "I wouldn't have it any other way. But that second house…"

"Hm?"

"George can keep that one for himself. After all, I know we haven't set a date, but I assume there's going to be some nuptials before the island is up and running."

Helen had almost forgotten their plans amidst everything happening at school. It was true, she was finally free and clear to marry, and so was, Fred. Now they just had to do it. Helen didn't want anything fancy, though. She definitely had some thoughts about what she wanted. And as they ate their breakfast they discussed it while the hall was still relatively empty.

"I want something simple. Your family, really that's it. My cousin Leon will come, since he's all I have left. I bet he'd even give me away if I asked. No big gown no hugely expensive reception, and I was thinking we could have it at your parent's house, in the garden, have dinner outside with the fairy lights hung in the trees and your mother's mismatched tables and chairs outside to have dinner in the garden. It'll be in bloom by then and so lovely."

The more she went on, the more Fred smiled. He had actually had no idea when he met Helen Eubank was from the actual Eubank family, as in partial owners of Gringott's Eubank. If he had never asked her about the coincidence he never would have known. The girl seemed to have a particular aversion to overly nice things not befitting of her status. She had them, but got them for reasonable prices, didn't own anything that cost more than it was worth in practicality…rarely did she make him feel like a pauper, except on those few occasions such as that morning's conversation about where they stood financially in the soon-to-be business venture.

"But what am I getting all ahead of myself for? You haven't even really proposed yet."

"True." Just as Fred had said this the post came through. There was a barn own that made a beeline for Fred and dropped a small red box in Fred's hand. "Perfect timing," he said, as he opened the red box, and took a smaller black one out. Fred stood up and stepped out form the dining table's bench. He knelt before Maddie and said, "I did use some of Harry's winnings for something different. You're the most unique girl I ever met, and someone like you deserves a unique ring to wear on her finger for sixty, seventy, eighty years. In interest of that I had this custom made for you." Fred opened the box and held it up for Helen to see. It was a simple gold bad, but rather wider than normal, and on the band if one looked closely, you could see the tiny delicate etchings of scrolling ivy and dragon scales which melted into a sea of rolling waves, landing on a sandy shore and at the end of this was the Weasley family crest, sitting beside her own.

"Helen Eubank, will you marry me?"

As if he didn't know the answer. As Fred slipped the ring onto Helen's finger she said, "Are you certain your mother will agree to the wedding arrangements?"

"She'll have to," Fred said. "You're getting what you want no matter how it happens. It's your day."

"Our day," Helen corrected. "Every day is our day as long as I'm with you."


End file.
